


Morning Light

by Hardknocks



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-07-09
Packaged: 2018-07-18 22:37:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7333402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hardknocks/pseuds/Hardknocks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The survival of Rick and those he cares about hangs in the balance, starting where the season six finale left off.  When all seems lost, the group finds some reasons to hope that maybe the future will get better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I’m a little late to TWD, but thanks to Netflix/Amazon I’m up to speed. My writing is inspired by my need to see our ragged band of survivors have a few more goods days and a little bit of hope that things can get better. And after the season 6 finale, I definitely need a little bit of hope. The events pick up where season six ended.

Rick always knew there was a possibility that he might end up here again; begging for his son’s life to be spared from the brutality of this new world, but he had hoped it wouldn’t come.  He hated feeling helpless to save Carl or anyone else in his family.  If he lived through this, he would make sure that it never happened again. 

Negan walks down the line and stops in front of Eugene.  The first blow doesn’t knock him out, but the second does.  Rosita screams.  Negan stands over Eugene’s body, savoring the moment, about to land his last and most-deadly blow.  He raises the bat, when without warning gunshots break out in the camp.  A loud explosion goes off near the back of the Negan’s group.  Body parts fly into the air.  The explosions set off a fire.  Negan takes a moment to look back at Rick.

                “We’ll finish this up a little later.”  Negan flashes Rick his menacing grin before running for cover.  Negan’s crew scatter in every direction.  Rick and his crew duck for cover from the bullets, but they are still bound and gagged. So, all they can do is lay there, helpless.  In the distance a group of walkers hobbles toward the camp.  They are drawn to both the fire and noise. 

                One of the walkers falls near Michonne. 

                “No, no!”  Rick yells.  He slides toward Michonne, who is doing her best to kick the walker off, but is losing the battle.  Negan watches as Rick stumbles to his feet.

                “You might lose two instead of one.”  Negan laughs and watches a little longer.  He finally yells to his crew.  

“Take them back to camp!”  His men run and drag Rick and the others into the Winnebago.  One of the men kills the walker after Michonne.

                “Please let me help my wife and Eugene.  They need help, please.”  Glenn pleads with the two men holding them in the Winnebago. 

                “Shut up.” One of the men hits Glenn over the head.  The blow knocks Glenn out.  Maggie tears up.  The sharp pains in her abdomen are getting worse and worse.  She knows she won’t make it much longer. 

                Rick scans the group.  They need help.  He thinks desperately about what to do next.  There are only two men between them and freedom.  Rick knows the moment to make his move his now.  He slowly gets to his feet.  In the dark his captors don’t notice.  Rick charges the captor closest to him, but the man is stronger. He immediately over powers Rick.  He puts his hand around Ricks throat and squeezes.  Michonne, Carl, and Darryl try desperately to free themselves to help Rick. 

                Rick can feel the life slipping from his body.  He can’t get any air.  He closes his eyes.  He imagines the people he those he’s leaving behind.  He thinks of Carl and Judith.  He thinks of Michonne.  He wants to be there for them.  He fights to keep breathing.  He makes one last effort to overpower the man on top of him. 

                “BANG!” A single gunshot silences all the other noise in the Winnebago.  Their one remaining captor stands over his dead compadre.  Blood and brains, cover Rick’s face.  The man puts down the gun.  He pulls Rick up.

                “I need you to listen to everything I’m about to say.  Your life and lives of everyone you care about depends on it.  I am not with Negan.  It was my people that just attacked Negan him.  And we’re your only hope to make it through the night.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just updated to correct some typos.

 

                “Neil!”  The door of the Winnebago opens.  Jimmy scans the scene and quickly enters.

                “Jimmy, we’ve got to go now.  Before they figure out what’s happening.”  Jimmy jumps in and takes the driver’s seat.  He floors it, driving as quickly as he can away from the chaos.

                “We’re taking them with us.  When we’re in range, radio home.  Let them know we’re coming and that we’ve got some hurt people with us.”  Neil tells Jimmy as he searches the vehicle for towels or rags.  He lays Maggie and Eugene down on the floor to make them more comfortable.  He removes the gag from Maggie’s mouth and uses some loose rags on Eugene’s head.  Maggie moans in pain.  Rick and the others watch, but are still helpless to free themselves.

                “We are good people, but I know you can’t believe that after what you just saw.  So, I’ll untie you once we’re back.  I’m not going to shoot anyone, but if you try anything, I’ll do what I have to do to restrain you.”

                After what seems like an eternity the group, pulls up to what looks like an abandoned factory.  Walkers freely roam the yards.  Jimmy takes out his radio. 

                “Open the doors!  We’re here!”  The Winnebago stops at the loading bay in front of a loading door.

                Rick and Darryl look at each other.

                “Be ready.  Whatever it takes, we’re walking out of here.”  Darryl nods in agreement.

                The doors open quickly.  A group of soldiers runs out.  Neil opens the door.

                “The two on the floor are the worst off.  Get them in first.”  The soldiers carry Maggie and Eugene and then take in the others.  They unload the group before the walkers can even get close. 

                “I’ll park this thing and meet you inside.”  Jimmy drives off and the soldiers close the door behind the group.  The warehouse is empty except for the few soldiers.  Rick wonders if this is Terminus all over again.  He didn’t believe anything Neil said about being good guys, but hoped they weren’t as bad as the people he had already encountered.  The soldiers lead the group to an abandoned freight elevator.  The elevator moves abruptly.  They ride in silence for what seems like an eternity.  Finally, it stops and the doors open.  Everyone walks out.

The group stands in the middle of a fully running facility.  It’s full of people dressed in military and civilian clothing.  The people look clean and fed.  It’s like stepping back in time.  The soldiers undo the groups restraints.  Neil undoes Rick’s restraints. 

                “Rick, I will explain everything.  But let’s get your people taken care of okay?”  Rick smiles.  He surveys the room and nods to Darryl.  Rick is impressed, but he is all out of trust. 

                “It doesn’t matter what you’re going to say.  We want to out.”  Rick grabs a gun off one of the soldiers.  He holds it Neil’s head.  The soldiers draw their weapons.

                “Don’t shoot.  Lower your weapons.” Neil tries to talk the soldiers down, but they don’t lower the weapons.  Rick’s group surrounds him.  It’s tense.  Rick doesn’t have an escape plan.             

                “Daryl?’  A woman’s voice calls out and cuts through the tension.  She walks toward the group and stands between Rick’s group and the soldiers. 

“Daryl, it’s safe here.  You’re safe here.”  Daryl smiles and breathes a sigh of relief.  He recognizes her.

                “Rick put the gun down.  It’s okay.”  Daryl and the woman embrace. 


	3. Chapter 3

Kim had been up late working as usual when she got the news that Neil and Jimmy were on their way back home.  She hadn’t been able to sleep much since Neil went out on this mission.  She woke up panicked most nights, fearing the worst: that Negan discovered the truth about Neil, Jimmy, and the others and killed them all.  So, it was a tremendous weight to know that soon Neil would be home and that she would be back in his arms again.

                So, now as the elevator doors open, she can barely contain her excitement.  Neil looks a little worse for wear, but he is alive.  She smiles, but it quickly fades.  She runs toward Neil.  Then she notices Daryl Dixon in the middle of the group.  She yells out to him and runs towards him.  The other man listens to Daryl and lowers his gun. She embraces Daryl long and hard.  He was the last person she’d imagined seeing again in this new world, yet there he was in the flesh.

                “Daryl, you’re here.  You’re alive.  Oh my God.”  She kisses his cheek and grasps his face with both her hands.  Daryl in return kisses her forehead.  Tears form in his eyes.  Kim’s thoughts rush back to the situation at hand as she notices others with Daryl, who look confused and still tense.

                “I’m Kim Ross, and if you all are friends of Daryl’s, then you’re friends of mine.  You’re all safe here.”  She looks to the soldiers. 

                “Get their injured to the infirmary.  Now!  The rest of you come with me, and I’ll get you up to speed.”

                The group sits around a large table.  Kim sits at the head of the table.  She is short and petite.  She has a kind face and wears glasses.  When she makes eye contact with the group she smiles.  Daryl sits to her left and Neil to her right.    

                “As I said before.  I’m Kim and this facility is what’s left of the government.  This place was built in the 1990s.  It was designed to be a fallout shelter for the President in the event of a nuclear disaster.  When this event started no one knew what was happening and by the time we did it was too late.  The President and most of his cabinet were infected.  I was here visiting to brief the president's chief of staff about WDS.”

                “WDS?” Rick interrupts. 

                “Walking Dead Syndrome.  We were working to develop a cure when the world stopped.  Airports when offline, phones died, the world as we knew it ended.  The acting president brought us and the remaining military here to continue working and….”  Her voice fades off.

                “And what?  Hide?  Do nothing?” Rick interrupts.

                “No, the plan was to work on a cure and to start what we were calling operation PLANTING.  In addition to being a fallout shelter this place holds every seed and grain known to man.  The plan was to start rebuilding civilization.  Start small colonies close to the fallout shelter here.  The area was effectively evacuated, so the risks from the dead would be minimal.  Eventually, we hoped we could find other survivors, share resources, and work together.  We’d hope to plant colonies that could grow and the world might become what it was before all of this.”  There was hope in her voice.  It reminded him of Deanna.  She was seeing past today.  She was seeing a future that was possible.

                “So, how did you get mixed up with Negan?”  With the mention of that name.  The hope fades from her face. 

                “General Negan was here with us.  He developed the plan with us.  He wasn’t all the way behind it, but it was an order from the Acting President, so he went with it.  Or so we thought.  One night him and others who were loyal to him, they left.  They raided the supplies and ammunitions and disappeared into the night.  We didn’t know what happened to them until one of our groups out on a patrol was captured.  He killed all of them except one.  He sent that man back with a message.”

                “What was the message?”  Daryl asks.

                “Join me or die.”  Kim puts her hand on Neil’s hand.        

                “We’ve been fighting him ever since.”


	4. Chapter 4

“I’m going to go and check on the rest of your group.”  Kim excuses herself from the room.

“I need to see my wife.”  Kim nods and takes Glenn with her” 

“The rest of you should get checked out as well.  You’re welcome here for as long as you need.  Although, I suspect you’ll want to get home soon.  If it’s any comfort, Neil has reassured me that Negan has no idea where your home is; he doesn’t know about Alexandria.”

At the infirmary, Dr. Ben Ross attends to Maggie.  Dr. Ross is Kim’s brother.  He shares the same kind eyes and gentle nature as his sister.   He tells Glenn that Maggie is now stable, but that moving her could cause the symptoms to return and that she could lose the baby.  She is sedated and resting. 

“I’ll leave you with her.”  Kim and Ben leave Glenn.

Once they are alone, they talk in hushed voices.

“What about the other one?  Was the head injury fatal?” 

“Come see for yourself.”  They enter Eugene’s room.  He is unconscious.  His head is bandaged up.  Ben pulls back the bandage.  Kim gasps. 

“You mean?”  She questions her brother.  Ben nods.   

“I’ve got to tell the others, and I almost forgot.  I have something to tell you.”

The others are now in the general area of the infirmary, getting cleaned up.  When Kim runs in.

“Maggie’s fine and so is her baby and your friend with the head injury….” Kim starts.

“Eugene.”  Rosita interrupts.

“He’s stable, but unconscious.  He might pull through.  All we can do now is wait.  We won’t know if there’s permanent damage until he wakes up.  If he wakes up, but his vitals look good.”

“How is that possible?”  Rick asks.

“Eugene has a metal plate in his head.  It may have saved his life.”  The group breathes a collective sigh of relief. 

“Neil will get you all back to Alexandria whenever you’re ready, but Maggie and Eugene aren’t in any condition to move right now, maybe in a few days, but not now.  They need to rest.  They can stay here.  We’ll take care of them.”  She knows the group has a lot to discuss so she excuses herself again after motioning for Daryl to come with her.

He follows.  She takes him past the patient area to a waiting a room.  She opens the door and Ben stands there pacing.  Daryl walks in not expecting to see anyone, and then he and Ben see each other.  It has been years, more than a decade, but Daryl’s heart quickens.  Ben is one of Daryl’s few good memories in the world before and after it went to shit.  He kept the thought of Ben buried deep in his heart.  Ben was Daryl’s first love, and he never imagined seeing him again.  Now, Ben was in front of him, tall and striking.  He’d only gotten better with age. 

Ben and Daryl run to each other.  Daryl holds Ben’s face and presses it to his as the two men kiss each other long and hard and deep.  It’s a sweet taste that neither can get enough of so they indulge.  Kim knows they need this and she leaves them alone, closing the door quietly behind her.    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapters are short and sweet. You can think of them as micro chapters. I write whenever I can find a few moments of free time in this busy life. Thanks for reading!!


	5. Chapter 5

“We’ve got to get back to Alexandria.”  Rick talks to Michonne in a quiet corner of the medical room. 

“But someone should stay with Maggie and Eugene, until they can move.”

“Glenn can stay, and we’ll come back for them. I don’ like it, but it’s the best play.  We don’t know these people, but they know Daryl and they crossed Negan.  So, right now they’re our safest bet.” 

Rick and Michonne let the rest of the group know the plan.  They reluctantly agree.  Everyone starts to wonder where Daryl is and how he knows Kim.

Meanwhile, Ben and Daryl realize that Kim has left them alone. 

“I should have known if anyone could have survived it was you.”  Ben brushes Daryl’s hair from his face.  Daryl does not shy away from Ben’s stare.  Daryl doesn’t shy away because he knows that Ben sees him.  Ben sees who he is deep down inside.  Daryl doesn’t have to hide any parts of himself because Ben has seen it all, the good and the bad. 

Daryl knows that Rick and the others trust him and care for him, but they don’t know him; really know him.  This feeling of being known and seen, it feels good.  It feels like home.  Ben feels like home.

 “How’d you and Kim end up here?  Man, you work for the President?” 

“We just lucked up being here.  We were in the right place at the right time and they needed a doctor and someone who knew anything about infectious diseases.  When the world comes to an end, you take what you can get.”  Ben smiles. 

“How about you?  How’d you end up here?”  Ben squeeze Daryl’s hand.

“Luck, the same as you.  I ended up with a group of survivors on the highway.”  Daryl’s thoughts go back to Glen and Eugene. 

“I should get back to them.”  Daryl goes to leave.  Then stops and turns back to Ben. 

“I just want you to know that I understand why you didn’t meet me that night.  It was probably a stupid idea anyway, you know.  Back then it wasn’t easy to be who we are.  Hell, it’s hard now. 

“Daryl, you don’t know do you?”

“Know what?” 

“I was there, waiting on you.  When Merle and some of his friends showed up.  He told me you weren’t gay and that he didn’t like half-breeds like me anyway.  Then they beat the shit out of me, so bad I didn’t wake up for a week.  After that my parents moved us and didn’t look back.  I tried writing you, but between your Daddy and Merle I knew you’d never get those letters.  I always thought I would come back and rescue you.  Then one day I thought:  _What if he hates me now?  Cause it took so long_.  So I never did go back for you.  And I should have gone back for you…cause I loved you.  I still love you.” 

Daryl comes back to Ben again. 

“You were there?  That night?  We could have left?  And Merle’s the reason?  All this time, I just thought you didn’t show up, that you just left cause I wasn’t good enough.  Cause you didn’t want to be with me.  Cause something was wrong with me.  Dammit, Merle!  Damn him!”  Ben pulls Daryl into another embrace and they kiss again.   Ben’s hands move down Daryl’s neck, causing Daryl to tense up.  Ben notices that Daryl is wounded.  He’d assumed it was someone else’s blood.

“Daryl, you’re hurt.  Why didn’t you say something?”

“We got bigger problems to worry about.”  Ben insists on attending to Daryl’s wound.  He pulls off Daryl’s vest and shirt. 

“It’s just a flesh wound.  The bullet just grazed you.”

“Good, then we’re done.”  Daryl motions to put his shirt back on, but Ben stops him.

“No, we’re not.  I’m going to clean you up first.”  Daryl doesn’t fight.  He doesn’t know what the future holds and is relieved to get a few more moments with him.  Ben cleans the wound and puts on a fresh bandage.  He also takes the time to clean all the blood from Daryl’s upper body and face.  He takes his time, enjoying these precious moments.

Minutes later Daryl rejoins the group.  Ben follows behind him.  Rick notices that something is different with Daryl.  He seems sad or mad or almost relived.  Rick can’t tell what’s going on with Daryl, but he knows it has something to do with his old acquaintances. 

“You okay?”  Rick asks Daryl.

“Don’t matter, we got bigger problems.”

Kim goes over to Michonne. 

“Hey, Neil said you got knocked off your feet.  Let me check it out.  Make sure it’s nothing more than a sprain.”  Michonne sits back on the examining table and lifts her leg.  Kim examines it.  Everything seems fine.   She pulls at the pants leg in order put it back in place when she feels a little moisture.  She lifts it up to examine the cut, and she finds two tiny tears; bite marks on Michonne’s leg.  She takes a deep breath and looks up to Michonne.  Kim is silent for a moment, letting Michonne and Rick share in a loving glance.  Michonne turns back to her.

Michonne can tell instantly that it isn’t just a sprain.  She can see it in Kim’s face.  It’s bad.  In this moment she thinks back to the walker that she kicked off and she knows what it means.  This feels cruel and unfair.  The whole time she was out there with the walkers, she didn’t care if she lived or died.  Now that she had found Carl and Judith and Rick, now the universe decided that her time was up.  It wasn’t fair.  She’d gotten so little time with them and now it was all over.

Michonne lays back on the table, closing her eyes.  Kim doesn’t know her, but feels for her.  She places her hand on Michonne’s.

                “I’m so sorry.”  Since the WDS hit Kim had been working mostly in the lab and underground in the shelter, so she had never seen the look on someone’s face when they realized they had been bitten.  It was gut-wrenching.  All the victims she’d worked with were already resolved to their fate.  Michonne wasn’t.  From the look in her eyes, Kim could tell she wanted to live, that she had a reason to live.

                “Maybe we can slow it down.  Give you more time.”  Kim begins yelling for medics and a gurney.   Rick notices something is wrong.  He runs over.

                “What’s wrong?”  Michonne doesn’t respond or look at Rick.   Then he sees Kim working frantically at Michonne’s leg.  He sees the two tiny bite marks.  Rick grabs a hold of Michonne’s hand and crumbles to the ground.  It had been a shitty day, but it wasn’t lost on Rick for one second that he was still lucky.  Throughout all of this he still had his children.  Now he had Michonne.  He had a family again.  She was tough and brave, and he never worried about her.  He never thought he had to worry about her.  He thought they have more time.  He’d have time to tell her how much he loved her and needed her.  How she had found him and helped to bring him back before he was too far gone, before he lost himself.

                Daryl watches.  He’s scared for Rick.  He almost didn’t come back from Lori.  He might not come back from this lost.  He might not find himself again.  He thought about Carl and how much he’d come to love Michonne.  She was the first person he’d let in since his mom.

                “Stop! Stop it. Stop all of it.   I don’t need it.  I’m going home with everyone else.”  Michonne announces. 

                “But maybe I could help you, somehow.  Give you more time.” Kim doesn’t want to stop.

                “There’s nothing you can do.  And I don’t have that much time, and I want to see Carl and Judith.  I want to say goodbye. Kiss them one last time.”  She puts her hand on Rick’s shoulder.  He nods, but can’t speak.  Rick stands up and faces the group.

                “It’s time to go.  We’ll make sure home is safe and come back for the others.”  Rick helps Michonne to her feet.  He keeps her hand in his, he doesn’t let go.    Daryl and the others follow. 

                “Rick, Daryl wait a minute.  You’re not going alone.  Some of us are coming with you.”

                “Why?  Negan’s still out there.”  Daryl doesn’t want to see any more good people get hurt. 

                “I think we can help each other. We’ll talk about it on the way.” Daryl knows he can’t stop her. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Super short chapter......I couldn't leave you all on too much of a cliff......after season six I wouldn't do that to you. Also I love Rick and Michonne, so please stick with me and my plot twists. This couple is worth the ride.

The ride back to Alexandria is tense and quiet.  Michonne sits in the bed in back.  Rick sits with her.  His head in her lap.  He is still holding on to her hand.  She rubs his head, but neither has the words to say just yet.  Michonne is sweating.  The fever has set in.

Daryl sits next to Kim.  Ben, Neil, and some of the soldiers are with them as well. 

“What did you mean by help each other?”  Daryl asks Kim.

“You all know what it’s like out there.  You’ve survived.  You took out Negan’s men.  You could take out Negan, if you had help and resources.

“What’s in it for your group?  Why would ya’ll help us?”

“We’ve got to take a stand against Negan.  If we don’t we’re going to lose everything, and we won’t be able to come back from that.  We need you, we need people to make world again.  Neil said that there are other colonies like yours.  If we could work with them and you, we could start rebuilding our little part of the world again.  If we don’t stand up to Negan, all of us together, none of us are going to make it.”  Kim put her hand on Daryl’s.

“I’m glad we’re here with you.”  Neil doesn’t like this gesture. He didn’t know Kim before the world end, so he didn’t know anything about her history with Daryl, but it worried him.  He wanted to know about their history, but he Kim hadn’t had a moment to themselves since he got back. 

The drive is quiet.  Some soldiers ride ahead of them, in case Negan’s men are out, but so far the all is clear. 

Kim goes back to check on Michonne and returns. 

“Ben can I talk to you?”  Ben and Kim talk in hush voices.

“Is she going to make it back?”

“I don’t know.  Something’s different with her.”  Kim rubs her forehead.

“What do you mean?”

“Her fever is high.  Not normal high, but really high.  I think her body’s fighting it.” 


End file.
